Safety device



Sept. 12, 1933. H. c. MILLER 1,926,551

SAFETY DEVICE Filed Sept. 29, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l 0 f/OQ E 1 r:: l-

lhmantor HARVEY 6. MILLER (mac n e;

Sept. 12, 1933.

Filed Sept. 29, 1932 H. C. MILLER SAFETY DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Snnentor HAFVE'Y C, M/LLEE Patented Sept. 12; 1933 V V t I UNITED STATES; PATENT orrics v g SAFETY DEVICE Harvey (J. Miller, Charleston, W; Va., assignor to Libbey-OwenS-Ford Glass Company, Toledo, Ohio; a corporation of'Ohio Application September '29, 1932 I Serial No. 635,306 n V 21 Claims. (01. 105 -367 The present invention relates broadly to im ing transversely within the car A and adapted" provements in safety apparatus and more parto be positioned above the upperedges of the ticularly to a device designed primarly for use glass sheets 10. y The supporting structurej1'7 conin the loading of glass sheets or other flat sists of three longitudinally extending spaced 5 sheets or plates into freight cars,the principal parallel and preferably wooden strips or memi60 objec't of the invention being to provide a novel hers 18, 19 and 20 which are maintained in pro and improved form of device which will funoerly spaced relation relative to one another at tionto safeguard theworkmen loading the car by each endthereof by means of the spacing blocks. V preventing the glass sheets or the like from fall- 21 positioned between the said strips and secured ing forwardly toward the center of the carand in place by the transverse bolts"22 which pass65 upon the workmen engaged in the stacking of the through both h Strips and blocks- D sheets therein a 1 18, 19 and 20'are also maintained properly spaced Other objects and advantages of the invenfrom one another at substantially the centers I tion' will becomernore apparent'during the course thereof by'th Spac blocks 2 3fsuitable fastenof the followingdescription When'taken in coni elementsflll p in t nsv rsely t r u h th 7 nectionjwith the accompanying drawings. 7 said stripsand blockswhereby to-secure them .In the drawings forming a part of this alether, I I plication and wherein like numerals are em- Carried at each end of the supporting Structure ployed to 'cl'esi'gnatelike parts throughout the 17' and at the opposite'sides thereof are the an-i same, g 1 y i gle brackets 25-and- 26 respectively extending in h Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional view through a Qpp t directions and having Welded 1 freight car disclosing, in elevation, a safety dei securedithereto ml S'O the like 27, and 28 Viceboristructedin accordance with the instant t gh Which are threaded the bolts 29 a 0 invention, respectively, each of said bolts being pointediat 25* t Fig 2 1 3 31 i Qf'ajpair ft improved its forward endas indicated at 3i and proVidedSil safety device 7 at its opposite or reariend with a hand wheel Fig. 3 is a section taken substantially on line The angle br ck 25 a 6 m y 3. 3 f Fi and i y H cured to the supporting structurel'llby means;

Fig. 433' a 'sectiontaken substantially on-line 10 the'bolts 2 which, sp t d u above, a so 30 4 .4 of Fig 3 serve to'tie the strips .18, 19' and.'20 and spacing Referring now to the drawings, the letter A bl cks 21 t e he W it is desired po t designates a freight car within which the glass tiOTl the'safetydevice 5 Within t r l li sheets orother fiat sheets or plates 10 are adapt- Porting structure 1 is mp d, at the proper ed to be packed for shipping, and B the i height within the car and the bolts 29 and 30 05 proved afety devices herein provided'for i at each end thereof then threaded through'the taining the he t 10 i position and for prenuts 27 and28 so that the pointed ends 3l of the? venting'them from falling forwardly toward the; Said bolts engage bitQiH the e wallsiofr Q center of the freight car and upon the workmen C a Shown in land 1 a v V f engaged in the stacking of the said sheets in Carried by the horizontal Supp t S ctu 40 l l o V 7 17 at each side ofthe longitudinal center there- The freight car Ahas been disclosed simply of are al r d as here shown h e i fe y by way of illustrating the present invention and or sheet retaining 1 3 34 a 5 p t v may be of any conventional construction includ- 5 Each h Units cdmplises a P O ing a horizontal bottom 11, vertical side walls 12' spaced Vertical) and l fif b y WO d I I a ms 36' 11101713, and a top 14. Disposed within the car ca ed by and pe d s om the sup 0 at each side thereof are a plurality ofspaced D f g structu ThuS, the D1 ds f vertical strips 15 secured to and maintained these a 3 and 37 Q V d wee the spaced from the adjacent side wall of said car p fi Strips 93 1 9 as bes shown in by blocks 16 and against whichthec glass sheets FigL2 d are S u ed ereto by suitablel fask 10 are adapted to be stacked. The inner faces i s nt 38- thr s ty or sheet o of these strips 15 may be covered with felt or ihglmits 33, 34 and 35jat each end of the some other suitable material, if desired,- to pro- Supporting Structure 17 a 0 preferably tect the glass sheetsresting thereagainst. braced interme he r, 1 1 1 .31" and lower'ends Each safety device B embodies a'main horibyen inclined bra in S p 39 Which s eiv d zontal supporting structure or bridge 17 extendetw h S arms 36 and 37 e&0h1111it1 10 and to which the said arms are bolted as at 40,

said bracing strip being also secured at its upper end to the supporting structure 17 'by'fastening elements 41. I

The vertical depending arms 36 and 37 of each safety unit 33, 34 and 35 are provided at their lower ends withthesubstantially U-shaped metal 3 caps 42 and 43 respectively whichflt about'the said arms and are nailed thereto as indicated at 44. Received between the lower ends of each.

pair of arms 36 and 3'? is a dog or catch niem ber pivotally'mounted intermediate itsends upon a' horizontal bolt or pin 46 passing transversely through the said arms35 and 37 and the respective metal caps 42 and 43: The dog .45 is mounted upon the bolt 46 in such a manner that the forward end 47 thereof, overloalances the rear end 48 whereby the said dog will benormally maintained in an inclined position as shown in full lines in Fig. 4. In other words, thepivot point 46 is offset with respect to the longitudinalcenter' of the dog or catch inember45, with the result that the longer forward end 47 thereof naturally tends to overbalance the shorter rear end 48. P'ositionedb'etween the vertical arms '36 and 37 of each'safety unit 34' and 35 and beneath the bracing, strip'39is a relatively hard wooden block 49 secured in place by bolts or the like 50 and 'having' a lower bevelled edge 51 against which'the end 4301? dog 451s adapted to abut so as to maintain the said dog in the 35. 5 against which theglass sheet is adapted to abut proper inclined position. The forward end edge of each dog 45 is preferably bevelled as at 52 to provide a substantially vertical face when the said dog is'in'its normally inclined position and should it fall forwardly;

, In the loading of relatively large sheets of glass within a freight car, it is customary to stack securethem firmly in place for, shipping by.

a pile of sheets against each side of thecar and meansfof suitable. ropes or metal bands which are passed horizontally in front or each stack 7 of sheetsand fastened to theadjacent sidewall the glass sheets piled against-the other side ofv -of the car. More specificallyt'it is customary, in packing the glass sheets within the freight car, to

firstjack up one side of the car so that'the side walls thereof are slightly inclined. The .glass sheets are then stacked one at a time against the words, against" that side which is not jacked up.

lower" inclined sidewall of the car 'or; in other After the desired pile of sheets has been thus stackedg they are firmly secured in'place for shipping inthe manner above described. The

opposite side of the car is then jacked up and the car in the same manner. Thus, there is provided'a stack of sheets at each side of the car, with a spaceor aisle therebetween, such aisle being necessary in-ordertopermit access to the glass sheets when they are to b'e unpacked. It is also the'usual practice'to pla'ceiafslieet of paper between each'sheet of glass so that the glass sheets do not come in direct contact. with oneanother.

Workmen have been seriously injured in the past asTaresultof the glasssheets falling forwardly upon'them duringthe stacking of ,the' said sheets in place. Forinstance, it not infrequently; hap; pens. that a workman, in pulling out two or three sheets .of glassinorder to placethe sheetsfof paper therebetween, will have the suction between the sheets pull the balance of the pile of sheets forwardly upon him, resulting not only in serious injury tohi's." person, but also inthe breakage of the glass. The present inventionhas been especially designed to safeguard the workmen engaged in loading the car by preventing the glass sheets from falling forwardly upon them, as a result of which the liability of the workmen being injured during the packing of the car will be greatly lessened. s

'In the use of the present invention. one or any suitable number ofsafety devices B may be employed, and these devices are secured within the freight car A above the glass sheets 10 in the manner above described. That is to sayythe transverse supporting structure 17 of each safety device is secured in position within the car by means of. the bolts 29 and 30 which are caused to engage and bite into' the side walls of'said car. The supporting structure 17. is arranged at such a height within the car so that thelower ends of the pivoteddogs 45 will project slightly below the upper edges .of the glass sheets. The dogs 45 'of the safety or sheet retaining units 33, 34 and 35at each side of the longitudinal center, of the supporting structure 1'7 are mounted so that the lower ends thereof project toward the respectiveside wall of the car. Therefore, as each sheet of glass is placed in position against the side wall of the car, the upper edge of the sheet engaging the lower. ends" or the dogs 45 will cause the said dogs to be swung upwardly to a substantially horizontal position as indicated by thebroken; lines in. Fig. 4 to permit the stacking of the glasssheets' in place. Aftereach' sheet has been slipped beneath the dogs, the said dogs will again fall downwardly into an inclined position by gravity, and the saiddogs will be maintained in. such inclined position and prevented from swinging in the opposite direction by means of the. wooden-blocksv 49. As a consequence should one of the glass sheets'fall forwardly as shown at 10a in Fig. 1, it will engage the first inclined dog. 45 and be prevented thereby'from falling forwardly upon andinjuring the workmen er gageclv in stacking the sheets within the car."

In the event only a few sheets of glass have been placed in position, and should they fall forwardly, they will be caught by the dog 45 of the" =first-safety unit 33, whereas if a greater number ofsheets; have been stacked in place, they will be caught by the dog 45 of the second safety unit-.34 orby theidog of thethirdsafety'unit' 35.

After the requisite number ofv sheets have been stacked against each side of the ca'r and secured in position in the manner above described, the

:safety devices B are removed. Thenumber of safety-devices employed will depend upon the width of the glass sheets being packed, with two.

or more being ordinarily used, while the height at which the safety devicesare positioned within the car will depend upon. the height of the glass sheets'being packed. As brought out above,

the improved safety devices herein provided are not restricted to use in the packing of glass sheets but, on the contrary, may also be utilized in the, packing of other fiat sheets or plates. It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as the preferred embodiment of the same;

' thereof overbalances the opposite end" whereby the lower ends of. which project downwardly bevent the said sheets from falling forwardly said are adaptedto be stacked upon edge againsteach sidewall .thereof, of a safety device arranged within thecar and carried thereby in a position above .the glass sheets, saidsafety device includ ing a plurality of" pivotally mounted dogs; the lower ends of which project: downwardly-beyond the upper edges of the glasssheets to prevent the" said sheets from fallingforwardlyr 2. In safety apparatus of 'the character de: scribed, the combinationwith a freight car within which a. plurality of sheets ofiglassor the like are adapted to bestacked upon edge againsteach side wall thereof, of a safety device, arranged .within the'car and carried thereby in a position abovethe glass sheets, said safety 'device includinga plurality of pivotally mounted dogs, the lower ends. of which project downwardly beyond theupper edges of the glass-sheets to prevent the said sheets lfrom falling forwardly -saiddogs being mounted in such a manner that'one .end'

thedogs are normally maintained in an inclined position; 1 a

, 3.'In safety apparatus of the character de scribed, the combinationwith a freight car within which aplurality of sheetsof glass] or the like are adapted to be stacked upon edgeagainst each side wallthereof, of a safety deviceyarra'nged within the car and "carriedthereby in a position above the glass sheets, said safety device in eluding apl'urality of pivotally mounted dogs,

yond the upper edges'of the glass sheetstopre dogs being mountedin such a manner that one endthereof overbalances the oppositeend where by the dogs are normally maintained in anin clined position, and means for permitting. the. dogs to be swung inone direction out oftheirinclined position but prevented from swinging iii the "opposite direction from such position.

-4. In s afetyapparatus of the character described, the combinationwith a freight car withmemena plurality of sheets of glass or the like are adaptedto be stacke'd'upon'edge against each sidewall thereof, of a safetydevice arranged with-.

. ,in'the car'and carried thereby in a position above the glass sheets, said safety device including a plurality of pivotally'mounteddogs, and means for normally maintaining said dogs-in a vertically Y inclined position, with the .lower ends thereof projectingdownwardlybeyond the upperedges In safety apparatus of the'character "de of theglass sheets to prevent the said sheets from falling forwardly. 1 I i scribed, the combination with a freight car within whicha plurality of sheets of glass orithe like are adapted to be stacked uponedge against eachside wall thereof of a safety device arranged withupper] edg mf the glass sheets'to prevent the saidsheets from 'fallingfor'wardly, andmeans for 'mounting the said dogs so thatthey maybe swung-about their pivots in onedirection to permit the stacking of the glass sheets in place and prevented from swinging in the opposite direction.

"6. In safety apparatusof the character described, the combination with "a freightcanwithin which a plurality of sheets fof glassor the like are adapted to be stacked upon edge against .each side wall thereof, of a safety device'arrangedwithin the car-and carried thereby inn. 1

sheets from falling forwardly.

position above the glasssheets, said safety device" including a. plurality of pivotally ,mounted dogs;.the lower ends of which project downwardly beyond the upper edges of the glass sheets to prevent the said sheets from falling forwardly, thepivot point of each dog being offset with respect tothe longitudinal center of said dog so' that one endbf the dog overbalancesthe opposite end thereof; and means engaging"? the sh'ortenend of the dog to normally maintain the said .dog in aninclined position.

. LIn-safety apparatus of the'character de are adapted-to'be'stacked upon edge against each side wall sthereof, of a safety device arranged scribed; the combination With a freightcar with-1' in which a pluralityof sheets of glass or, the like within the car and carried thereby, said safety 7 device including a transverse supporting structure mounted in a positionabove the" glass sheets,

per edges of the glasssheets to' prevent the said 8. In safety apparatus of. the character described,the combination with a freight carwithm which. a plurality of sheets of glass or the like are adapted toqbe stacked upon" edge against ioo each (side wall thereof, of a safety device-ar ranged within the 'car and carried; thereby; said safetydevice includinga transverse supporting structure mounted in a position above the glass sheets, anda plurality'of pivotally 'mounted dogs carried by saidsupporting structure, the lower ends' of saidivdogs projecting downwardly beyond said sheetssfrom fallingforwardly, said dogs beingtmounted insuch :a manner that one end the dogs arenormally maintained inan inclined 'positionf 9. In vsafetyapparatus of the character describedithecombination with a freight car'with- .in'which-a plurality of sheetsof glass orthelike are adaptedto be stacked upon edgeagainst-each sidewall 'thereof, of a safety device arranged no I within the car and carried-thereby, said safety I device including a transverse supporting -struc-' ture mounted in a position abovethe glass sheets,

and a pluralityof pivotally mounted dogs carried by said-supporting structure, t he lower. ends of said dogs projecting downwardly beyond the upper edgesof theglass sheets to prevent the said sheets from falling forwardly, said dogs being mounted in such a-manner that one end-thereof overbalanc'es theopposite end whereby "the dogs are 'normally maintained inv an. inclined position, rand-means forpermitting the dogs to be swung in .oneidirection out of their inclined "position but prevented from :SWinging in :the opposite direc- "tion from'such position, In

- 10. In safety apparatus of the character'de scribed, the'combination with a freight car withinwhich a plurality of sheets of glass or the like are adapted to be stacked upon edge against each side wall thereof; of a safety device" arranged within the car and carried thereby, said safety spacedyertical depending'arms, anda dog .piv

- otally carried at the lower end of each pair of arms, the lower ends of said dogs projecting downwardly beyond the upper edges of the glass 110 the upper edges of the glass sheets to prevent the that one end thereof overbalances the opposite v end whereby the dogs 'are normally maintained in a vertically inclined position when the supporting structure is disposed in a substantially horizontal position, and-means for permitting the dogs to be swung in one direction out of their in-s clined position but prevented from swinging in the opposite direction from such position.

21. In safetyv apparatus of the character described, the combination with a freight carwith in which a plurality of sheets of glass or the like are adapted to be stacked upon edge against one side Wall thereof, of a safety device arranged within the car and carried therebyin a position above the glass sheets; said safety device including a pivotally mounted dog, the lower endof which projects downwardly beyond the upper' edges of the glass sheets to prevent the said sheets from falling forwardly.

HARVEY c. MILLER; 

